Arcadié (Archduchy)
Arcadié, officially the Archduchy of Arcadié, is located on the northern coast of Nostrora. It is known for its art-loving culture and its popular white sand beaches. Etymology and motto The name Arcadié is set to come from ‘Arcadia’, the Longinian word for ‘utopia’. Over the centuries, Arcadié has lived up to its name as it is considered to be a place where the nobility and the commonry cooperate to rule the Archduchy. The official motto of the region, “L’union fait la force”, Arcadian for “Union makes strength”, has come to represent the ideals of the region and have been included in the coats of arms of all ruling Archdukes/Archduchesses since the House de Mérode. Geography and landscape The city of Arcadié forms the center of power and trade in the Archduchy of Arcadié. It was founded at the estuary of the river Senecum because of its strategic position and its value for trade networks. The borders of the Archduchy extend from the Escuit river in the west to the Meure river in the east. In the west, Arcadié borders the Duchy of Regniér. The landscapes of Arcadié vary from urban to rural. Urban areas include the city of Arcadié (the region’s capital), Brixelles (a prominent city inland) and Arvers (a prominent port city at the Escuit estuary). Arcadié’s coastline is famous for its white sand beaches, while the Archduchy’s rural regions are dotted with vineyards and pastoral fields. The Arcadian flag The flag of Arcadié is a classic vertical tricolour with the image of a lion-rooster in the middle. The colour red stands for the blood which has been spoiled during Arcadié’s long history, from the Holy Wars in the 800s to the Revolution of 1618. The white in the middle stands for the devotion and faith of the people and the strong ties of the region to Didecism. In more popular culture, the white has also been seen as a reference to Arcadié’s famous white beaches. The dark blue references Arcadié’s ties to the ocean, as it is an important factor for trade and was the primary reason for the Arcadié’s founding. The lion-rooster in the middle represents the rule of the House de Mérode. Incidentally, the colours red and blue are also the colours of the seats in respectively the Arcadian House of Commons and the House of Lords. History Arcadié was established on the northern coastline of Nostrora somewhere between 300 BE and 250 BE by local merchants seeking to establish a new tradehub. The city quickly grew along the estuary of the Senecum and became a local dominating power. Not much is known from the early days, except for what is occasionally found in archaeological dig sites. What is known however, is that in the early days, Arcadié was a merchant republic, until one family became powerful enough to rule as a dynasty and turn Arcadié into a Kingdom over generations. Somewhere in the 1st century AE, the Kingdom of Arcadié was attacked by its neighbouring Kingdom, Regniér. Following a bloody war and much infighting amongst the Arcadiens, the area was conquered by Regniér. To appease the local populace and nobility, the former Kingdom of Arcadié gained the status of Archduchy within the Kingdom of Regniér. When in 803 the Kingdom of Regniér was conquered by the Empire, the Archduchy of Arcadié managed to stay clear of conquest initially. In 805 AE, the Empire set its sights on the vulnerable Archduchy and declared a Holy War against Arcadié. By 838, the area was under Imperial control and a group of local loyal nobles was given control over the Archduchy of Arcadié, now a part of the Empire. Among those noble families was De Mérode family, who would become the ruling family much later in Arcadié’s history. But from 838 onwards, it was the famous House of Barbon who ruled over the Archduchy. The city of Arcadié once again prospered and became known for its hinterland full of vineyards. The Archduchy remained prominent in trade in the area. It wasn’t until the 16th century that a true Arcadien Renaissance occurred. The arts flourished and noble families expressed their wealth in exquisite palaces. However, this led to a general feeling of distrust towards the nobility among the peasantry of Arcadié. As a result, Arcadié, much like many other cities in the region at the time, experienced a popular revolt in 1618. The ruling house of Barbon fell in disarray, as their members were all executed to the last one. A directorate was set up by the peasantry, mirroring the early Republican past of the city. The revolt, however, was quickly put down by an intervention of Imperial troops and a regency was formed until a replacement could be found for the House of Barbon. To prevent further instability from tearing the Archduchy apart, a bicameral council was established consisting of a House of Lords and a House of Commons. However, instability plagued the area for the next century as regent after regent failed to find a suitable noble family to replace the Barbons. In 1761, our current ruling house, the House de Mérode, was asked to lead the Archduchy. Tacchius de Mérode, who at that time was the head of the house, accepted this request and assumed the title of Archduke of Arcadié. Tacchius began with the process of rebuilding Arcadié, both in a literal and in a symbolical sense. The city of Arcadié became one worthy of the title of Archduchy capital, as broad lanes replaced the ancient narrow roads and huge monuments were constructed honouring the history and the people of the city. Under the rule of the House de Mérode, the Archduchy has continued to prosper in the past few centuries. Often, the city has become known for its acceptance of reformist ideas and its openness towards change. As of 2205, the city has begun a process of further opening up the political process to the peasantry and has begun experimenting with the idea of referenda. More recently, construction has also begun on a statue of the late Emperor and Archduke of Arcadié, Carolus de Mérode. In 2211, during the Archduchy’s celebrations of the 450th anniversary of the Mérode dynasty, the city of Arcadié was hit by the worst terrorist attack in decades. A Prafist sniper managed to kill Archduchess de la Fayette and wound two prominent members of the Imperial Diet. Politics Arcadié is the biggest city and capital in the Archduchy of Arcadié. The Archduchy is currently under the regency of General Napolitana Buenoparte, as the late Emperor Carolus de Mérode’s son is still a minor. The city is also the seat of Arcadié’s regional council, a bicameral assembly consisting of a House of Lords and a House of Commons. The House of Lords consists of the most notable members of the nobility and clergy in the Archduchy of Arcadié. It is regarded as a highly influential body in local politics, but has an equal say over legislation as the House of Commons, which is a fully elected body. The reforms of Archduke Tacchius introduced universal male suffrage, while the reforms of Archduchess Victoria extended this to women as well. Local politics are currently dominated by two major guilds: the Arcadian League of Reformists (ALR) and the United Guild of Arcadian Conservatives (UGAC), but a recent new movement called the National Environmentalist Movement has made a surprising entrance in the Arcadian House of Commons in the latest elections, turning it into the coalition partner for the ALR. Yellow: Arcadian League of Reformists (58) Green: National Ecologist Movement (31) Blue: United Guild of Arcadian Conservatives (52) Dark Blue: Felmondish Farmers’ Initiative (9) Demographics Arcadié’s population is concentrated on the coastline in the north and along the rivers going south. The total population of the Archduchy is currently around 78,340,000 people. The most populated city is Arcadié, which has 12,532,901 living in it. It is followed by Brixelles which has only 2,1 million inhabitants and Arvers which has 1,8 million inhabitants. Most of Arcadié’s population, however, lives in the countryside and the fertile land along the rivers. Due to this difference between the countryside and the urban areas, two distinct dialects have emerged in the Archduchy. In urban regions, High Arcadian is the most common tongue spoken, while in the countryside Felmondish Arcadian prevails. Throughout history, unsuccessful efforts have been made to introduce High Arcadian in the countryside. Economy Arcadié is Vaeria’s sixth largest agricultural producer and the leading agricultural power on Nostrora. The Arcadien economy is largely based around the production of beef, pork and wheat but also on more specialized products such as wine, cheese and chocolate. Wine produced by the House de Mérode is considered to be among the best kinds of wine available on Vaeria. Another considerable economic sector in the Archduchy is tourism. The city of Arcadié is not only famed for its museums, such as the Louvrier Museum which houses the Madame Lasi, but also for its monuments, such as the Krefel Tower or the Arc de Victoire. Arcadié’s countryside also provides the ideal tourist destination for people looking for a quiet stay in the region. Then there’s also the white beaches, which provide for at least a fourth of the incomes of tourism in the region. Arcadié’s cuisine is also considered to be a major attraction for tourists coming from the north. Another major, albeit more controversial, part of the Archduchy’s economy is the arms sector. Arcadié is home to FN Harstel, one of the Empire’s largest manufacturers of guns and weaponry. FN Harstel has recently also expanded into the field of warships, but is struggling to compete with the already established corporations.